


Shivers and Soup

by Annide



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [3]
Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Common Cold, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:14:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23350786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annide/pseuds/Annide
Summary: Malcolm has a cold and is sent home
Relationships: Dani Powell/Ainsley Whitly, Malcolm Bright & Ainsley Whitly, Malcolm Bright & Dani Powell
Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1667122
Comments: 9
Kudos: 31





	Shivers and Soup

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Bad Things Happen Bingo: Common Cold

“Go home.”

“I’m fi’e.”

“I don’t believe it when you can actually say it. You’re sick, Bright, go home.”

“I can still help, it’s just a col’.”

“A cold I’d rather you didn’t share with my officers. Dani, take him home, make sure he stays there.”

“You’re not worried I might catch it?”

“I don’t remember you ever getting sick.”

“Yes, because I stay away from people who look like that.”

Dani gestured vaguely to Malcolm who was sitting near them in the conference room, shivering more than even being outside would warrant. His nose was bright red, his eyes were watering so much it looked like he was crying, he had a tissue box on his lap to keep taking care of his runny nose and he couldn’t spend more than a minute without sneezing. He hadn’t said anything about his other symptoms, but the way he kept rubbing his temples and couldn’t focus made it clear his head hurt as well.

“Please, Dani, just drive him home. I’d do it myself if I could, you know that.”

“Yeah, I know. Alright, come on, Bright.”

Malcolm tried to protest, but a coughing fit drowned whatever he was about to say. When he was done, he sighed and followed Dani out. Once they got to his apartment, he took some cold medicine and she helped him put on his restraints so he might be able to get some sleep. She settled on the couch while she waited for him to fall asleep. Gil had ordered her to make sure he stayed there after all, she couldn’t just leave. She listened to him toss and turn for a while, then started looking at things on her phone. It took a while, but eventually, he went silent.

By the time he woke up, Dani had used his phone to text Ainsley and his sister was standing in the kitchen making soup. He roused with a groan and a few sniffles. Dani wouldn’t want to be in his place. She hated feeling sick, hated the way you could suddenly come out of a nice, comfortable slumber with a runny nose, all sweaty and disgusting, because you felt too hot under the covers. Malcolm was still shivering despite that, he had it bad. But, hopefully, it would be short lived, colds usually were.

“What... Ains, what are you doing here?” He struggled a bit with his restraints, letting out an annoyed sigh, but there was no surprise in his expression. “Please, let me out. You can’t just trap me in my own bed.”

“It’s for your own good. I can’t trust you to stay here and get the rest you need.”

Dani laughed, pulling his attention towards her.

“You’re still here?”

“Your sister’s nice. And once she locked you in the restraints, I couldn’t leave, I had to see what would happen.”

“Oh, great, now there’s two of you mocking me.”

“No one’s mocking you, Mal. We just know you don’t take care of yourself and we care enough to do it for you.”

Ainsley turned off the stove and poured soup in three bowls before setting the rest aside for it to cool. She had made enough for her brother to have leftovers, which was something she did often knowing he didn’t eat much. Dani presumed there were more chances to get Malcolm to eat something if he didn’t have to make the effort to cook it too, especially if he didn’t feel that hungry.

The sun was starting to set, providing a nice glow to the apartment. Malcolm sat up and took the spoon and bowl of soup his sister handed him. He reluctantly started eating, looking up every once in a while as if trying to figure out when he would’ve eaten enough for them to be satisfied. Dani and Ainsley both sat at the foot of his bed, working on their own soups.

“It’s great to finally meet you, by the way. My brother told me great things about you.”

“Did he? So he can talk about things other than murder, who knew.”

Dani squinted at him teasingly. Malcolm opened his mouth as if to protest, but decided on an offended stare when Ainsley started laughing. He turned back to his soup, pretending not to pay them attention anymore. Dani noticed how different the two of them were. Malcolm always ducked his head when he smiled or laughed. Ainsley didn’t, she even let her head back. Malcolm hid his positive emotions like he didn’t think he deserved them, which Dani could relate to somehow. Ainsley let everyone see her happiness, as if daring people to try bringing her down. She wanted everyone to know she was the Whitly that was fine, the undamaged one. But Dani knew it couldn’t be true. It was only a façade, a wall she’d built around her issues, maybe because she was in denial that she could have some too, or because she’d always been so busy trying to take care of her brother. Whatever it was, it made Dani want to get to know her more.

“I saw the interview you did with your father. It was intense.”

“Malcolm didn’t like it.”

“I never said that.”

“You didn’t say anything.”

“I was a little busy getting kidnapped and tortured, Ains. Little siblings are so demanding. And self absorbed.”

Malcolm sneezed again and almost spilled his soup on the bed. Ainsley grabbed it and brought all the bowls back to the kitchen.

“You know, Bright, cancelling your entire day to take care of your big brother who has a cold doesn’t sound self absorbed to me.”

“Dani! You’re my friend, you’re supposed to take my side.”

“People always love me more. Except our father. But who wants to be their serial killer father’s favourite anyway.”

Malcolm tried to push her off the bed, but got caught in his restraints, prompting the girls to laugh even more. Dani enjoyed this. She hoped she’d spend more time with the Whitlys in the future, ideally without Malcolm being sick. He was a great friend, she loved hanging out with him. She hadn’t gotten along that well with anyone in a long time. And Ainsley was very nice, funny, smart, and beautiful. Part of Dani worried that being around her could lead down a dangerous path for her friendship with Malcolm, but part of her believed they’d been through enough already that it could withstand her possibly developing a crush on his sister.

“How about a movie? I can’t sleep and that’s as close as you’ll get me to resting.”

“Well,” Ainsley pondered, “movies are a classic sick day activity. Alright, I’ll get your tv.”

“I’ll make popcorn.”

Ainsley released her brother and headed to the living room to set things up. Dani went to the kitchen to get snacks while Malcolm gathered blankets from a closet to bring over to the couch. They had the classic sibling argument about which movie to watch, which pleased Dani greatly, before they settled down. Ainsley sat in the middle, though slightly closer to Dani who had the popcorn in her lap, and wasn’t sick. Malcolm hogged most of the blankets for himself, but they were okay with it, they could still see him shivering under there.

They barely made it halfway through the movie. As much as Malcolm claimed he wasn’t that sick, his cold turned out to be strong enough to beat insomnia and get him down. His legs were folded on the couch and his head lay on the arm rest, it reminded her of a child. He looked surprisingly peaceful. Ainsley had fallen asleep not long after he did, slowly slipping to the side and onto Dani. She adjusted the blanket over her, but was otherwise too scared to wake her to move at all.

Dani kept watching the movie, very aware of Ainsley’s head on her shoulder. Yes, she would love more moments like this. She wouldn’t mind if it was just the two of them either.


End file.
